Waiting for the King
by BurningFox6
Summary: She'd given him an important request: Become the benevolent king their world deserved. She knew he would heed it - all she had to do was wait. Filled to the brim with spoilers - don't say I didn't warn ya!


**A/N: Zatch Bell was one of my favorites as a kid, but I didn't get to finish the series until only recently. It's still great, and I just had to contribute to it with a fic or two. Turns out it's a bit difficult to write for when every character has two names, but I still feel this came out very well. So sit back and enjoy, my friends!**

 **A huge thanks to D3m0nDarks for beta reading this and making sure it shines.**

* * *

 _Tears flowed down both their faces, and from their partners' as well. But as much as Kolulu wanted to dry Lori's eyes and give her one last goodbye, she still had one more thing to do. She looked at Zatch – the mamodo who'd just burned her book, and the mamodo she knew was their best hope. "If you become the kind ruler of the demon world, maybe we won't need to fight like this anymore."_

 _The boy hiccupped, but nodded. "A kind ruler…" he repeated, bobbing his head again. "Yeah… just like you said." He clenched his fist, his face suddenly filled with determination. "I'll do it, Kolulu. I will make it to the end of this battle, no matter what! Then, I'll become a kind ruler!"_

 _Looking into his eyes, she knew he spoke the truth. He would fight hard, and if he won, he'd make sure no one would ever have to fight against their will again. Kolulu smiled sweetly, knowing she'd put her faith in the right contestant. "Please, Zatch!" she begged. And just as the words left her lips, the last of her book flared weakly and crumbled to ash._

 _She felt her body fade away, almost as if she were floating on air. Before her eyes, everything went white all around. As she felt herself being pulled back to her world, she could've sworn she heard Zatch and the others calling her name._

* * *

Kolulu landed on her knees, lightheaded and disoriented. When she could finally manage to force her eyes open, the sight of the Mamodo World greeted her. She'd returned right back where she'd first been sent to the human world from – a courtyard layered with one-hundred squares, one for each contestant.

Weakly, she pushed herself up off the ground. Around her, a few other mamodo children side-eyed her from the surrounding gardens, but quickly shrugged it off and went back to playing. It was still too early in the contest for anyone to care who was out already.

She was glad to be out, and yet she wasn't at ease. Already she was missing her newfound big sister, and already she worried if Zatch could tough it out to the end. His promise was a steep one, and the odds were stacked against him - but in her heart, she had faith in him.

Kolulu stared down at her feet, shivering. _He'll do it. He has to,_ she told herself. _So this terrible battle will never happen again. And until he comes back, I'll wait here every day. I promise._ She turned her face up to the sky, feeling the sun kiss her face as if it too was approving her plan. _And when he comes back a kind king, I'll be the first to welcome him home._

* * *

As much as she wanted to, she couldn't be there all the time. Now that she was out of the contest, she had to return to school like all mamodo children did. And of course, she'd have to go home at night to sleep. But whenever her homework was done and her body was well-rested, she'd always head out to the contest plaza.

Sometimes she'd pack a picnic lunch for herself, and other times a toy to keep her occupied, but she always remained there as long as she could. Every day, she performed the same little ritual – they kept a little book off to the courtyard's side, filled with the photos of all the remaining contestants. She'd check it first thing every morning, always letting out a sigh of relief to see Zatch's picture still looking up from the tome. After that, she'd find a nice little spot with a nice view of the return plaza and settle in for a long day.

She'd sometimes join the other nearby mamodos in games, passing the time with some friendly tag or a round of hopscotch. But as soon as Kolulu heard the shrill hum of one of the squares revving up, she'd drop whatever she was doing and look to see who'd just been sent home. Every time she'd hold her breath, both excited and afraid, and every time she was glad to see it wasn't Zatch.

A lot of mamodos were sent back day after day – a little jester showed up not long after she'd arrived, and he pounded the ground furiously with gritted teeth. One day a tree mamodo returned, and he'd admitted that Brago was the one who'd completely demolished him… Kolulu really hoped Zatch wouldn't run into him. Others came, some happy to be home and others, not so much – at one point there was a wide-headed cyborg, a bipedal dog-creature, and even a tiny little white kitty. Some returnees would be kind enough to fill Kolulu in, and to her surprise, it turned out Zatch was the one sending many of them back. _He's doing so well,_ she thought.

Things continued like this for a while, with Kolulu taking up her post alone until the sun went down. But one day, things changed a bit when a young boy wearing a feather and a green leotard returned.

"Yopopo!" he greeted her when she called out to him. It was a weird response, but she ignored it.

She jogged up to him, having to look down at the young lad. "I'm sorry to bother you so soon after returning, but…" She clasped her hands together. "Would you happen to know anything about the boy named Zatch?"

The kid leapt to attention, hopping back and forth. "Yopopo! YopoPO!" he chanted, suddenly at full attention. But try as she might, she couldn't get him to say anything else - though she took his enthusiasm as a good sign.

She thought that would be the end of it, but to her surprise, the boy started showing up around the same time she made it to the square every day. Of course he wouldn't say why, but Kolulu could put two and two together – Zatch had made an impression on this lad, and he was going to wait for him along with her. He was a strange little companion, but she was glad to have a friendly face to keep watch with her regardless.

The two would play together, and soon, their group grew even more when a tall-haired boy returned. His name was Danny, and he regaled them with a story of Zatch helping him and his partner take down some crooked art thieves. After that, he too joined their little party. Not long after, a little ladybug fellow joined too, though he was unintelligible just like Yopopo was.

The others couldn't make it every single day, but Kolulu almost always had someone else to keep lookout with her. And no matter what, she'd make sure to be there as soon as she could. Their little group stayed about this size for a while, passing the time getting to know each other and playing games – until one day, something unusual happened.

It was rare for more than one mamodo to return at once, but one early morning, Kolulu had been busy watching Yopopo's silly dance while Danny dozed when three squares lit up almost simultaneously. A huge golem demon had returned, along with a green-haired boy and something that looked like a knight in a scarf. And while most who returned were angry or disappointed, these three just looked completely confused.

Kolulu approached them cautiously – they didn't notice her at first, but finally snapped out of their daze when she cleared her throat. "What happened to you three?" she asked.

It was like they hadn't even heard her. "Are… are we finally home?" the boy wondered aloud.

That wasn't what they usually said when they got back. "…Yes?" Kolulu replied. "Is something the matter?"

The three of them paused to take this in – and then cheered. The golem raised his fist to the sky while the boy grabbed the knight by its arm and shook it back and forth. "After a thousand years, we're finally home!" the boy shouted, and the two automatons droned a joyous 'Home!' in response.

But Kolulu was still confused – now more than ever. "Did you just say… a thousand years?"

The boy finally stopped rejoicing long enough to notice the girl. "That's right. We're remnants from the last mamodo battle, one thousand years ago. Goren of the Stone kept us stuck in the human world as stone tablets, until someone named Zofis finally freed us in exchange for agreeing to fight for them."

Kolulu gasped, a hand over her mouth. Trapped in stone for a thousand years? She couldn't imagine a worse fate. Everyone these mamodos knew must've been long gone by now… the demon world must've changed so much. And what's worse, one of the current contestants was cheating by forcing these poor mamodos to battle under their name. Things weren't looking good for Zatch, and things were looking even worse for these ancient demons. These battles were more despicable than she'd ever imagined.

Now wasn't the time to worry about the contest, though. "We need to get you help immediately." She motioned for them to follow her, and she began leading the way out of the plaza. "I'm so, so sorry you lost all that time… but I'll help you get yourselves oriented again. Follow me."

* * *

Things turned out well for the trio – they were promptly enrolled back into school, and even better, some of them still had ancestors or long-living relatives to stay with. Though they didn't join their group, they were finally ready to live again – and that was enough to satisfy Kolulu.

As the days went by, more of these time-displaced demons made their way home, and Kolulu saw to it that each was taken care of. Things continued in this way, with a mixture of current and past mamodos returning one by one, until one day a lot more than just three mamodos showed up.

Kolulu had only just arrived when the entire plaza was ablaze with light. Squares were glimmering all over the courtyard as demon after demon returned – all of them ancients. Kolulu gulped – this was going to be a bit hard to handle.

Thankfully, Danny, Yopopo, and Rops were all there that day to help guide the misplaced mamodos along with her. Even a gargantuan demon arrived, though he just flew off rather than listen to the puny people around him. Later on, their little party gained a few new members – Kido, an easily amazed bookworm, and a duo of a frog and a short-haired girl. They introduced themselves as Penny and Byonko, and admitted to foolishly working for this Zofis character – and wanting to make things right by waiting for Zatch along with them.

And speaking of Zatch, they'd let her know that he and his friends were the ones saving all these demons and toppling Zofis' army. Kolulu was amazed – she really had put her faith in the right candidate. She was so glad he'd found other kind mamodos to work with, and she hoped they all made it far.

Soon, a purple-skinned demon with badly shredded clothes arrived. He simpered and cowered, quickly scampering away when Penny spotted him and started pelting him with rocks. This turned out to be Zofis, Kolulu later found out – and while she didn't approve of the stoning, she was glad the heartless kid had gotten his just deserts. They also picked up yet another friendly face – a girl named Laila, who, despite being an ancient, decided to cheer Zatch on with all the rest.

With her arrival, the last of the ancients had arrived, and soon they were all enrolled and sheltered successfully. Meanwhile, Kolulu took the time to get to know the two girls who'd arrived – it was nice to not be the only one anymore, even if Penny did seem to have a creepily unhealthy obsession with Zatch.

Things quieted down for a while after that. Kolulu appreciated the calm, and the peaceful period brought them their scariest ally yet, in the form of a massive beast named Rein. Though no one dared to approach him at first, he proved to be sweet as could be as he became one of the more devoted watchers of the group.

Kolulu didn't think anything could top what'd just transpired with the ancients, but to her despair, Zofis wasn't the only one using dirty tricks. Another day much later on brought another large group of mamodos home – and even grimmer news along with them.

A large steel mamodo came first, but he stomped off before he could be questioned. No one knew what'd happened until the next arrival – and that arrival was badly wounded. A poofy-haired centaur lay crumpled in a heap on their square, and Kolulu rushed to tend to them.

When the boy could finally speak, he clutched his chest and wheezed, barely able to remain conscious. "So… close. I was so close. My followers and I managed to resurrect the titanic demon Faudo for our own purposes – and he was immediately taken from me." He coughed, dropping his face to the ground with a low moan. "I was too focused on an insolent brat named Zatch. And when I least expected it… Zeno took me by surprise." He tried to speak again, but could go no further – he tried to reach out for something to steady himself with, but finally collapsed and passed out.

The rest of her group worked quickly to get the boy immediate medical attention, but Kolulu stayed frozen in fear. _Zeno's in the contest?_ she thought, shivers racing down her spine. If the Lightning Emperor was taking part… and not only that, but he was now in control of the biggest demon the world's ever known… everyone left in the contest was doomed, and the entire human world along with them.

Now more than ever, Zatch needed to win. Kolulu clasped her hands to her chest, and she sent out a desperate plea. _Please, Zatch,_ she prayed, _please make it through this okay. Not just for the sake of our world – but theirs as well._

* * *

More and more mamodos came that day, most so badly injured that many had to be carted off to the physician. Quite a few were allies of Zatch, such as an older boy by the name of Wonrei; he was badly singed, yet his bloodied face showed only sadness. There was an odd pair of a fuzzy creature named Riya and a fierce-looking pony named Karudio, but despite their wounds they refused any aid as they sat with the rest to keep watch. Another duo arrived as well – a pompadoured punk named Ted and a lass named Cherish, and when they weren't watching over their fellow orphans they were never seen apart.

To Kolulu's shock, even the fearsome Barry arrived and pledged himself to Zatch. Though he swore he would keep the boy in line with violence is necessary, the sheer fact that Zatch had impressed one of the strongest mamodos around was astounding. And last but not least, the cheeky Momon arrived. Kolulu was scared to approach the well-known pervert, but to her surprise, he kept himself under complete control. _Wow,_ was all Kolulu could think. _Zatch's influence is spreading far and wide… can he do it? Is there a chance he can actually defeat Zeno?_

Zeno's allies were also taking some heavy hits. There was a many-eyed boy, a flaming warrior, the fearsome Keys, a winged boy, and even a rotund dragon. Each was badly damaged, and didn't stay for long.

By now, Zatch's faction had grown quite large, and everyone was waiting with bated breath to see how this conflict would end. No one played, no one chatted – everyone's eyes were focused on the plaza, knowing that the next arrival would dictate the fate of two worlds. "Zeno's the only one left," Momon filled them all in. "All we can do now is believe in Zatch and Kiyomaro."

And so they did. Silence hovered over the group as everyone huddled together off to the side. Even completely unaffiliated mamodos were starting to take notice, and a crowd began to form around the courtyard. Hushed chatter buzzed through the air as tensions rose high. _Please,_ Kolulu begged. _Zatch, you can do this. I believe in you._ We _believe in you. You've come so far, and I know you can't be stopped now. Not when everyone's depending on you._

And that's when one of the squares lit up.

If anyone was chatting, they immediately quieted as a figure slowly faded into view. Kolulu felt her chest tighten, unable to breathe. The newcomer looked just like Zatch… or was it Zeno? They looked so alike, who could tell?

Soon, the mamodo had fully materialized. Their hair sheened white, not yellow – their robe pale, not dark. Kolulu felt a tear spring to her eye as she broke into the widest grin she could manage. "It's… it's Zeno! Zatch won! Zatch _won!_ "

Cheers rang out all around, so loud that demons far away could hear. None celebrated harder than Zatch's followers – Penny nearly fainted with joy, and both Byonko and Laila had to keep her steady. Rein let out a triumphant howl, and both Karudio and Riya joined in – well, as best as a horse and fuzzball could howl, anyway. Yopopo danced harder than he'd ever danced before, and both Ted and Cherish were found locked in a joyous, relieved kiss.

But the cheers turned into terror as Zeno finally twitched. He'd been passed out on the ground, but he shakily rose up to his legs. A few mamodos fled the scene as he hobbled across the plaza, spotting Zatch's followers and homing in on them. Kolulu hid herself behind Danny, and a few of the other meeker mamodos also sought out shelter.

The Lightning Emperor approached, slowly but steadily, and soon he stood in front of the group. He glared at them, glancing back and forth as he scanned them over. "You," he finally called out to one of them. "I remember you… the monkey boy. And the horse, and Riya." He spat that last name out venomously… was there a betrayal involved? "Then that must mean you're all Zatch's supporters."

No one moved, but no one disagreed either. It didn't matter – the silence was the only answer Zeno needed. And to the shock and awe of everyone, he hobbled over into their group and sat himself down in the grass. "It's good to see my brother's already earned the love and respect of so many."

 _Brother?_ Kolulu wasn't the only one confused – many of the others were muttering amongst each other. It probably shouldn't have come as a shock given the resemblance, but to think that the kindhearted Zatch was related to the tyrannical Zeno? And Zeno was _supporting him?_ It was almost too much to take in.

But despite their new member's reputation, some of the braver mamodos soon sat down with him and tried to make him feel welcome. And just when everyone's rattled nerves had finally calmed, the group flew into a panic as a quake suddenly shook the ground beneath them.

"W-what is that?" Kolulu stammered, struggling to keep herself balanced. Zeno seemed completely undisturbed by the tremors as he replied.

"That must be Faudo returning," he said. And right after he'd answered, the shaking ground to a halt. "And judging from that earthquake, he must've been damaged so badly that he collapsed."

Jaws dropped all around the plaza. And then, another chorus of cheers. The only one who stayed silent was Zeno, who simply stood up and began walking away. "I'll go order the castle sorcerers to have Faudo re-petrified. I'll return shortly." And with that, he vanished, gone without a trace.

The celebration continued. Mamodos sang aloud, praising Zatch and all those who'd fought alongside him. Even bystanders were getting in on it – complete strangers were filtering into the group, seeing value in following someone so strong and virtuous. As their ranks swelled, Kolulu closed her eyes and smiled. _You're doing so well, Zatch. There's not much further to go. We're all behind you… and we'll be here when you win._

* * *

After the Faudo fiasco, the number of remaining contenders rapidly depleted. Soon, there was twenty. Then fifteen. Thirteen… twelve… eleven. And though these disqualified demons had never known Zatch, they too started rooting for him when they saw how the people loved him.

The number of remaining contestants stayed stagnant for a while. Kolulu still came by day after day, only to go home at night without a single new arrival. She didn't mind, though… she now had a lot of new friends to play with while she kept watch, and she had no doubt in her mind that Zatch wouldn't be returning until he was the victor.

It was an otherwise normal day when the next demon returned. Kolulu had been playing dolls with some of the other girls, happily watching everyone else pass the time in their own ways. Pleasant chit-chat and peaceful playtime quickly turned to gasps and shouts when one of the squares suddenly glowed bright. To no one's surprise, it wasn't Zatch.

"Only ten remain!" someone called out.

"It's almost over!"

"He's almost there!"

 _"VERY MELON_!"

But as people muttered amongst themselves, all went quiet as one voice rose above them all.

 **"THE BATTLE TO DECIDE THE KING HAS ENTERED ITS FINAL STAGE."**

The voice boomed, seemingly coming from everywhere around them. Demons looked back and forth, but no one could tell where it was coming from. **"ONLY TEN CONTESTANTS REMAIN UNTIL OUR NEW RULER IS UPON US,"** the voice continued. Kolulu couldn't keep herself from shivering – the voice hadn't said anything wrong, and yet it sounded so ominous.

 **"THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE KING'S FESTIVAL."** The King's Festival? What was that? **"A FINAL CONFRONTATION, WHERE ONLY THE MIGHTIEST WILL EARN THE RIGHT TO GOVERN THE DEMON WORLD AND EXORCISE THE KING'S PRIVILEGE."** And what exactly was the King's Privilege?

 **"THE KING'S PRIVILEGE WILL NOW TAKE EFFECT,"** the voice droned. **"FROM HERE 'TIL THE END, ALL MAMODOS WILL BE REDUCED TO THEIR SOULS. ONCE THE KING IS CHOSEN, THEY SHALL DECIDE WHO LIVES… AND WHO DIES."**

 **…** Wait, what?!

Confusion surged throughout the crowd – no one knew the voice was talking about, not even Zeno.

And then someone screamed.

It was Penny, who was looking at – no, _through_ her arms. "W-what's going on?" she said, waving her limbs back and forth. "I feel weird! _I don't like this! Somebody, help!"_

Kolulu reached out to calm the girl down – and shrieked. Her own arm was becoming transparent, and it was spreading fast. And it wasn't just them. Their entire group had flown into a panic as the strange infection spread. Mamodos began fading left and right, only to collapse in on themselves as their bodies faded away and became little spirits.

"No… no!" Kolulu yelled, desperately scrubbing at her body to try and shake the numbness away. It was no use – she wrapped her arms around herself and clenched her eyes, choking back tears. "I'm scared," she whispered. This wasn't right. What monster would do something like this?

Unable to stave off tears any longer, Kolulu began to sob as she couldn't feel her legs anymore. Then her arms. She refused to open her eyes, afraid of what she was becoming. The cries of people around her started to die down, and she knew they were also being turned into souls. _Please, make it stop,_ she begged. But it didn't. It wouldn't.

She couldn't feel her torso anymore. _No… please, I don't want to die…_

Then, nothing below her neck. _Lori, please don't forget me…!_

Soon, she began to feel her consciousness slipping away. _…Somebody… help…_

 _Zatch…_

 _Help…_

…

* * *

She didn't know how much time had passed. She wasn't sure she knew what time was anymore. Or anything, really.

All she did was wander. She floated through the air, surrounded by little wisps just like herself. It was so quiet, so… empty. It didn't feel right, and yet she couldn't tell why.

There was nothing she could do about it. What she could only assume were days had passed – maybe weeks. Months? Who could tell? There was nothing for Kolulu except floating, sailing through the void and feeling nothing. Was she dead? She didn't think so. But what else could explain how she felt?

She wished she could call out to someone, but her voice refused to work. She couldn't scream, or cry, or even whimper. And so she floated. And floated. And floated some more.

Until one day, she heard a voice.

"…Kolulu…"

The name sounded familiar. She… she thought it might be hers, at one point.

"Everyone…"

She remembered now. She _was_ Kolulu. And… something was stirring within her.

"Everyone."

A warm sensation was travelling through her, the first thing she'd felt in so long. And it wasn't just her – all around her, souls began writhing and squirming, as if they'd finally woken up after a long hibernation.

"All the demons… in the demon world… are… waiting…"

And that voice, she remembered it now. It was Zatch. And he sounded pained.

"All… waiting…"

What was wrong? Kolulu bobbed up and down frantically. Zatch needed help. Was he still in the contest? Was he king? There was no way to tell – and it didn't matter. They'd depended on him for so long, and now it was him who needed a hand.

"I'll definitely beat him…"

He was in a fight, she could tell. She wanted to help. She needed to help. She just didn't know how. All around her, souls were thinking the same. And then suddenly, she felt a tug on her very being.

"And everyone who has become just a… soul…"

She was being pulled somewhere. She didn't know where, but she let the force guide her. _We're coming, Zatch!_ she thought. All around her were a legion of spirits, each being called to aid their champion – no, their _king._ Kolulu faded away, being drawn to where she was needed the most.

"Will be brought… _back to life…_ "

* * *

Kolulu could feel again. She could think. She wasn't in her body just yet, but that didn't matter – she'd been called for a reason.

She looked around. There was nothing but desolation as far as the eye could see – but despite being surrounded by barren plains, she knew this must be the human world. And there, off in the distance, stood Kiyomaro and Zatch.

"If we go into space without any equipment, in the vacuum of space, we won't be able to survive in the extreme temperature!" Kiyomaro shouted. Kolulu heard him talk of space and glanced upwards, spotting a monstrous figure flying away into the sky.

 _They're trying to escape into space?_ she thought. _If Zatch and Kiyo can't follow, there's no way they'll win. No… they have to! I'll help them!_ From deep within, she felt her very essence grow stronger. _I… will protect Zatch and Kiyomaro's lives._

She stepped forward, approaching the duo. With each step, she felt her spirit pulse with energy. A new power was awakening within her, and she knew it would be key to aiding Zatch in this time of need. Despite being incorporeal, Kiyomaro must've sensed her, since he glanced over his shoulder as she drew near.

"So you had… this kind of power?" he said. He was panting, and yet he'd never looked more determined in his life. She smiled up at him, nodding silently. She was ready.

Sensing this, Kiyomaro placed his palm over his spellbook. His eyes closed, and he said the words that unlocked her final power.

"Shin Raifojio!"

Energy coursed through Kolulu as she raised her hands to the sky. Before, all her spells had done was hurt. Cause misery. Bring suffering. Now… she would protect. She guided the spell's energy into the two, and they began to pulse with a mysterious glow.

 _If you're inside that light,_ Kolulu thought, _whether underwater or in the void of space, it'll protect life._

Though she couldn't speak aloud, she knew they could hear her. Zatch looked back at her, and her heart swelled with pride seeing him so close to their goal. _Zatch…_ she called. _I don't just have spells that hurt people, I've had this kind of spell, too._

Seeing his friend again, the boy couldn't stop tears from falling. "Unu, it's wonderful, Kolulu," he praised. "It's a kind spell."

 _Yeah._ She felt herself tear up as well – at long last, she was using her power to help people. If only things had been like this from the start, things might have gone so much differently.

Zatch wiped his eyes, beaming with a determination that rivaled Kiyomaro's. "Just wait a little longer," he said. "I'll definitely become a kind king."

She couldn't hold it back anymore. Tears dripped from her eyes – not tears of sorrow, but of joy. They felt hot and wet, and Kolulu could only cry more as she realized they were so close to the end. _Yeah,_ she agreed again.

Zatch gave her a nod before turning to a young horse mamodo she'd never seen before. "Ponygon! Can you take me into space?"

"Merumerume~!" the mamodo responded, glowing with pride and power as Kiyomaro cast another spell. Ponygon shone bright and before they knew it, Zatch had gained a set of star-shaped jets hooked over his shoulders.

The boy turned back and gave Kolulu one last smile before Kiyomaro grabbed onto him. The jets roared to life, and at speeds that shouldn't have been possible, they rocketed into the stratosphere.

 _Go, Zatch,_ she thought. She stared up at the sky, watching as he became smaller and smaller. She wasn't alone, either. All around her, spirits just like her gathered, ready to lend their power if it was needed. _We're all counting on you, my king._

Soon, the boy and his partner were out of sight. And yet, she could still feel her power protecting him. She couldn't just wait here – she wanted to be there by his side. So she rose, floating higher and higher, ascending out into the starry sky.

Above the planet, she found the duo facing off with an abomination of immeasurable power. Even as a soul, Kolulu could feel it's intense strength pressing down on her. But she wasn't afraid – and neither were the countless other spirits that'd gathered as well. Kiyo and Zatch began drawing power from all the mamodos around them, and they offered it up willingly. _End this, Zatch. Make sure this never happens again._

Zatch and Kiyomaro glowed golden, their book shining so intensely its shine rivaled the stars around them. With a mighty roar, Kiyo held the book aloft and shouted the decisive spell.

"SHIN BERUWAN BAOU ZEKERUGA!"

And with that, their foe's fate was sealed. Before their eyes, a massive leviathan of scales and electricity materialized, snarling loud enough to shake the cosmos.

Their foe wasn't giving up, though. "I… won't… LOOOOOOSE!" it screamed, trying in vain to fight off the dragon with one last puny laser. It didn't stand a chance as the beast bore down on it, and with one more roar and the crackle of a million volts, it sank its fangs into the its target.

It was over. With power of that magnitude, the monstrosity's book was incinerated instantly. Its owner, which had been residing in a shield above it, fainted dead away as their barrier shattered. Kiyomaro, thinking quickly, called upon Kolulu again. "Shin Raifojio!"

Once more, she called on her power to protect the enemy spellbook holder from the vacuum of space. It was just a child, but they must've been intensely strong to work with a monster like that.

"With this, it's finally over," Zatch said. There was nothing left now – her purpose was fulfilled, and all the other souls were finished as well.

His partner smiled proudly. "You did great, Zatch," he praised.

Zatch shook his head. "What're you saying, it's you who…" He paused. "No…"

He turned to the gathered spirits, pumping a fist in the air. Kolulu clasped her hands together, sharing a silent cheer with the rest of her fellow demons. "Everyone, thank you!" Zatch called, addressing his friends… his subjects. "You all really did amazing!"

The praise warmed her nonexistent heart – but even then, Kolulu could feel the force that'd brought her here pulling her away. She didn't want to go back to before, but she wasn't afraid anymore. She knew it wouldn't be much longer until the contest was over, and Zatch would be the kind king they'd waited so long for. Everything faded to white once more, and she fell into the nothingness with a peaceful smile.

* * *

Kolulu fell to the ground, gasping for air. One second, she'd been floating through the void completely numb yet again, and the next, she felt her body suddenly return to her. She was regaining her form, and her senses as well. She sucked in breath after breath, savoring each gasp like it was the best thing she'd ever felt.

All around her, other mamodos were returning to their bodies as well. She could see Yopopo already up and dancing victoriously, and Zeno waiting expectantly for his twin.

They were back in the plaza, and like she'd expected, two squares were glowing up ahead of the crowd. Brago arrived first, the official runner-up of the King's Festival. Somehow, he'd managed to make it past the fiend they'd been summoned to dispatch – in the end, he really was a tough competitor. Though he looked worn out and defeated, he sneered with the grin of a mamodo who was satisfied coming in second place.

Behind him, a familiar figure faded into existence. Zatch stood victorious, looking out over the crowd. "Unu! It's over, everyone!"

Joyous shouts rang loud and clear all throughout the courtyard – even those who'd opposed Zatch in the past were happy, if for no other reason than that they were alive again. But none were as overjoyed, as proud, as delighted to see their new king as Kolulu.

She was the first to run up to him, and she clutched his hands in her own. "Zatch! You did it!" she said. She beamed at him, so glad to see her old friend again.

The boy returned her smile. "I made it to the end, all to become a kind king!" And from what Kolulu could tell, he was. Despite all the combat, all the tears, and all the conflict, he was still the smiling boy she'd met so long ago.

By now, the other mamodos had gathered around them, eagerly awaiting the first decree from their new regent. Kolulu simply squeezed his hands and bowed her head respectfully. At long last, her waiting had paid off. The king had arrived.

"Welcome home, Zatch. We've been waiting for you… your majesty."


End file.
